Netbook sales defy downturn

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 3 Feb 2009 at 10:44

A new report claims that manufacturers shifted 14.6 million netbooks in 2008, as customers look for bargains during the downturn.

The principal beneficiaries, according to the report by analysts Displaybank, were Acer and Asus with a 37.3% and 33.2% market share, respectively.

Trailing in a distant third place is HP, which has managed to claw out 7.5% of the netbook market with its Mini Note. Interestingly, current office favourite the Samsung NC10, which occupies pride of place on our A List fails to make even the top five.

Despite the huge boom in popularity, Displaybank reports that netbooks represented just 11% of total laptop sales in 2008. However the company reckons this will jump to 18.9% by 2012 as the netbook moves closer in functionality to current laptops.

In an effort to head off the inevitable argument regarding what a netbook actually is, Displaybank has provided its own handy definition.

"[A netbook] has similar functions as a Notebook PC, supports networking and has a retail price lower than US$650. Especially, products with a screen size of 7in to 10.2in and with Linux or Microsoft Windows operating system equipped."